Glory of Ramanama

It gives me great pleasure to send you this short
message on the celebration of the Ramanavami day.

Lord Rama was the prince of the Ikshvaku race. He
was virtuous and of manly strength. He was the Lord of the mind and the
senses. Brave and valiant, he was yet gentle and modest. He was a sage in
counsel, kind and sweet in speech and most courteous, and handsome in
appearance. He was the master of divine weapons, and a great Atiratha. Ever
devoted to the good and prosperity of his kingdom, he was a defender of the
weak and the protector of Dharma. Endowed with wondrous powers of the mind,
he was well versed in all sciences, in the science of arms or Dhanurvidya,
as well as in the science of the Self.

Deep and unfathomable like the ocean, firm and
steadfast like the Himalayas, valiant like Vishnu, he was the joy of
Kausalya. Though fierce like fire on the battle-field, he was calm like the
cool breeze of the Mandara Hills, patient like Mother Earth, bounteous like
Kubera and righteous like Dharma, the Lord of justice himself. In pains or
griefs of his people his heart swiftly sympathised with the sufferer. In the
festive scenes which held them in joy, he, like a father shared their joy.
By his honour and heroism, as well as by his gentleness and love for his
subjects, he endeared himself to the heart of his people. Such a great Lord,
Rama was, and his birthday which you are celebrating today, is equally great
and auspicious to us all.

The Name of Sri Rama is sweeter than the sweetest
objects. It is the haven of peace. It is the very life of pure souls. It is
the purifier of all purifying agencies. It quenches the consuming fire of
worldly desires. It awakens the knowledge of God which is dormant in our
hearts. It bathes the aspirant in the ocean of divine bliss. Glory to Sri
Rama and His Name.

Blessed is the pious soul who drinks uninterrupted
the nectar of Sri Rama’s Name, which has been churned out of the ocean of
the Vedas, which removes the impurities of Kali Yuga or the iron age, which
lives constantly on the tongue of Lord Siva, which is a sovereign remedy or
unfailing specific to cure the disease of worldly existence and is life
itself to mother Janaki.

Tulsidas says, "Name is even superior to the Lord
because the Aguna and Saguna aspects are tasted and realised by the power of
Name. Rama delivered from the curse a single lady, Ahalya, whereas His Name
has purified crores of wicked men! Rama gave salvation to two of his
faithful servants, Jatayu and Sabari, but the Name has been the saviour of
countless wicked persons."

He further says, "The two sweet fascinating
letters RA and MA are like the two eyes of the alphabet and the very
life-breath of the devotees. They are easy to remember and delightful to
all. They are beneficial in this world and sustain us in the other world."
He tells the Sadhaka thus: "Put this jewel—Light of Rama-Nama at the gate of
your door—the tongue, if you want to illuminate yourself, both inside and
outside. All the world knows that by uttering the Name even in the opposite
way, as ‘Mara, Mara’ instead of Rama, Rama’, the great saint Valmiki became
Brahman Himself." When such is the glory of the repetition of the Lord’s
Name in the opposite way, then what to speak of the utterance of the right
and proper Name!

The means by which Sri Rama can be reached is to
take His Name and to remain saturated in it. Always remain drunk, imbibing
the Lord’s sweet Name. Let no ideas of purity or impurity enter your mind.
There is no unholy object in this world. Should there be any, it becomes the
holiest of the holy by contact with the Lord’s Name. Illusion,
notwithstanding all her efforts, fails to get hold of him who remains deeply
absorbed in the Lord’s Name and love. Glory to Lord Rama! Adorations to Sri
Rama! Prostrations to Sri Rama!

Lord Rama was Maryada Purushottama. He was a Prema
Moorti. He was an ideal son, an ideal brother, an ideal husband, an ideal
friend and an ideal king. He can be taken to embody all the highest ideals
of man. He led an ideal life of a householder to teach humanity. He ruled
his people so nicely that his rule came to be called "Rama Rajya," meaning
"the rule of righteousness," the rule which bestows on all happiness and
prosperity.

May Lord Rama bestow his choicest blessings on you
all! May he protect you all and bless you! May you all live drowned in the
ocean of divine ecstasy through constant repetition of Lord Rama’s Name.

May peace be unto all! May prosperity be unto all!
May happiness be unto all! Let us all sing: